Breaker point assembly



y 1959 R. D. HARRINGTON ETAL I 2,896,035

BREAKER POINT ASSEMBLY Filed May 28, 1956 INVENTORS: ROBERT D, HARRINGTON PETER D. KOLAR GLENN E, HEl ERAN fwd United States ateng BREAKER POINT ASSEMBLY Robert D. Harrington, Gurnee, and Glenn E. Heveran and Peter D. Kolar, Waukegan, Ill., assignors to Shurhit Products, Inc., Waukegan, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Application May 28, 1956, Serial No. 587,853 2 Claims. (Cl. 200-30) This invention relates in general to a breaker point assembly for distributors for ignition systems for internal combustion engines, and includes both breaker points and their respective mountings which may be manufactured, assembled and completely adjusted in a factory so that this assembly may be associated and mounted upon a movable spark advancing and retarding plate of a distributor :as a unit structure.

Breaker point assemblies are commonly sold separately as a part of the primary circuit of an ignition system which is opened to cause the spark necessary for the ignition of fuel in the cylinder of the motor. These parts must be capable of critical precision for the timing operation to prevent heating, sparking, pitting the contact sur- "faces, and maintaining the registry of the points for efficient operation.

These breaker point assemblies may be sold in connection with a movable distributor plate having a fixed upstanding post, and an assembly contact set for this assem bly may be separately applied to the post of any distributor plate for which it is adapted and to which it may be connected in a well known manner in assembled condition, it being necessary only to place the assembly contact set upon the post, to adjust its position with an eccentric, and to secure it tightly to the distributor plate.

The present invention is an improvement upon such an assembly contact set for a breaker point assembly in which a contact arm and its spring which forms an electrical connection are insulatingly mounted with respect to a supporting plate by an improved fastening clip which secures the spring to an insulating support and at the same time retains a fastening nut in place while electrical connections are made to a condenser and a source of current supply.

It is therefore an important object of this invention to provide a structure which may be assembled with a breaker plate either as original equipment or as a replacement without the necessity of adjustment between the points themselves or the points and the plate, thereby saving the exercise of skill and knowledge necessary in making such adjustments and the time involved in making them.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved connection for the parts of a breaker point assembly by means of which electrical connections are readily made to a breaker point assembly without the danger of disengaging or losing the fastening screw in making such connections.

A still further object of the invention is to provide fastening means for a contact assembly set in which the screw for connecting the parts not only is retained in position, but also it is restrained from rotation so that electrical connections may be made more readily thereto without disengaging the screw and without the rotation of the screw when applying a fastening nut thereto.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the specification and will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a breaker point assembly for an ignition system including an ignition breaker in accordance with this invention, mounted upon a spark advance plate;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one side of an ignition breaker in accordance with this invention with a bolt retaining clip in position to be applied;

Fig. 3 is a perspective exploded view of an ignition breaker in accordance with this invention at the side opposite shown that in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view with the exploded parts as shown in Fig. 3 in assembled positions;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a retaining clip which extends over the head of the bolt and straddles the supporting bracket and the end of the connected leaf spring;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the ignition breaker post; and

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the ignition breaker.

In an assembled breaker contact set which has become worn, pitted or defective for other reasons, it is common practice simply to disengage the electrical connections, remove the set from a distributor plate upon which it is mounted by disengaging one fastening screw, and lifting the contact set free from engagement with the plate and a supporting pivot post projecting from and integrally secured to the plate. A new breaker point assembly or contact set of the same kind is then substituted for the removed set, adjusted to engage the operating cam and the electrical connections restored.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, a relatively fixed distributor base plate 10 has a movable distributor plate 11 mounted thereon by means of a central collar 12 with a pin 13 on the distributor plate extending through a slot 14 in the base plate 11 limiting the relative movement of the distributor plate for advancing and retarding the spark in any well known manner as by means of an arm 15 exending from an automatic spark advance device and pivoted to a projection 16 at the top of a distributor plate.

Extending upwardly from the distributor plate 11 is a rigid post 17 with the lower end extending through the plate 11 and riveted or peened over on the under side of the plate binding the post tightly against an enlarged shoulder at the upper side of the plate with a reduced pivoting pintle 19 at the upper end of the post for mounting a breaker point assembly thereon. An eccentric 20 is also pivotally mounted in the distributor plate with a screw head which extends upwardly at a short distance from the post 17 and is adjustable by inserting a screwdriver or a similar implement into the slot of a screw head. A fastening screw 21 is also inserted through a threaded opening adjacent the eccentric 20 and the head projects upwardly for engagement by a screwdriver.

A breaker point assembly which is applied to the distributor plate comprises a bracket 22 having a hollow sleeve or post 23 at one end securely afiixed to the bracket by welding a flange 24 at the lower end of the post below an offset by a shoulder 25 fixedly secured to the flange and the bracket and providing a seat at the outside of the post 23 for an insulating sleeve 26 which is secured in place on this post by engagement at the lower end with the upper side of the shoulder 25 and by peening or upsetting the upper end of the post 23 over the upper end of the sleeve.

The insulating sleeve 26 provides a support for a movable breaker arm 27 which is compressed longitudinally to form a strengthening rib 28 with a movable breaker point or contact 29 secured at the extremity of the arm. At the other end of the arm are perforated bearings 30 turned at right angles to the arm and mounted by their perforations tightly upon the insulating sleeve 26.

Between the webs of the bearings 30 about midway of the length of the arm 27, an electrically insulating breaker block 31 is secured by rivets 32 extending through it and through the arm at opposite sides of the strengthening rib 28. Interposed between the bearing block and the arm is one end of a tension LsPIing 33 which is also secured tightly in place by the rivets .32. This spring extends outwardly beyond the insulating sleeve 26 and is attached to a fixed supporting insulating bracket 34 by which it is mounted.

An ear 35 is turned upwardly at right angles to the base of the bracket 22 and carries a fixed breaker point or contact 36 with which the breaker point or contact 29 exactly engages in fixed and predetermined alignment.

At the side of the bracket opposite the ear 35 is another fixed ear 37 for engaging the insulating bracket 34 which may be rigidly secured thereto by means of a rivet 38. This bracket 34 has a projection 39 at its o e edge d p ed o e agei a slo 59. he bottom of the 'bracket 22 so that the insulating bracket is held tightly in place.

' At the end of the tension spring 33 is a slot 40 which opens from h l er e there f and t e ins ati bracket 34 is provided with a rectangular slot 41 which partly registers with the slot 4!) in the spring so that a fastening bolt 42 inserted through the slots 40 and 41 will permit a slight endwise adjustment of the spring to vary its tension applied at the other end, and a fastening nut 43 applied to the bolt will bind this end of the spring in any adjusted position.

The tensioning spring 33 carries electric current to the movable arm 27 and it is therefore necessary in a breaker assembly to connect the spring to a source of current supply through a conductor 44 and also to conmeet it to a condenser 45 mounted by a fastening clip 46 on the distributor plate 11 and electrically connected by means of a conductor 47. The connected ends of these conductors 44 and 47 are provided with perforated fastening clips 48 and 49 respectively which are p sitioned upon the fastening bolt 42 and secured in place by the fastening nut 43.

To make these connections either with the breaker point assembly attached to the distributor plate or separate therefrom by means of the fastening bolt 42 and its nut 43 is not easily accomplished as the parts tend to separate and the nut to move out of engaging position. To overcome this objection, a U-shaped clip 50 is formed of sheet metal and is adapted to straddle the end of the insulating bracket 34 and the tension spring 33, and at the same time to engage over the head of the fastening bolt 42. The fastening bolt is furthermore provided with a squared shoulder 51 adjacent the head and extending sufficiently along the stem to project through the slot 41 of the insulating bracket to hold the bolt against turning so that the nut 43 is more easily applied thereto. This U-shaped clip has parallel rear and front sides 52- and 53 spaced apart sufficiently to embrace a flat head 54 of the fastening bolt 42, the insulating bracket 34 and the tension spring 33. At the edges of the rear side 52 are flanges 55 bent inwardly to assist in holding the head 54 in place. The edges of the front side 53 of this clip 59 are bent forwardly or outwardly substantially at right angles to provide retaining cars 56. The intermediate portion of the front side 53 is formed with a recess 57 opening from the lower edge thereof and of a width to receive the threaded end of the fastening bolt therethrough and to rotate the nut 43 freely thereon between the retaining ears 56.

The width of the front side 53 of the fastening clip 50 is sufficient to receive therebetween the perforated clips 48 and 49 for the electrical connections to the source of power conductor 44 and to the condenser conductor 47. These clips 48 and 49 are inserted over the threaded end of the fastening bolt 42 and seated against the clip between the retaining ears 56 thereof which prevent the clips from turning and when the fastening nut 43 is applied thereover. the entire assembly of the U-shaped clip 50 with the fiat head 52 of the fastening bolt 4-2 is seated against the rear side of the insulating bracket 34 with the squared shoulder 51 of the fastening bolt retained in place in the slot 41 of the bracket, the end of the tension spring 33 engaged by its slot 4-0 over the fastening bolt and retained in that position by the front side 53 of the clip 5i which is slipped in place over the parts mentioned to retain them in their relative positions. At this time the bolt is held in place by the clip and the spring 33 is located at the outer side of the bracket 34 and retained in position on the bolt 42 ready to receive the perforated clips 48 and 49 from their respective conductors.

The application of the nut 43 binds the clips 48 and 49 between the retaining cars 56 and before the nut is finally tightened on the bolt 43, the entire assembly carried by the bolt 42 may be moved endwise along the insulating bracket 34 to the extent permitted by the slot 41 to increase or decrease the tension on the spring 33 which is applied to the movable breaker arm 27.

If it is necessary to remove or replace either one of the terminal clips 48 or 49, this may be done by remov ing the fastening nut 43 and then removing the clips 48 and 49. The remainder of the assembly is retained in engagement with the insulating bracket 34 even though the nut 43 is removed and there ,is no danger of the disengagement of the parts or the loss of the fastening bolt 42 unless the U-shaped clip 50 is raised or bodily removed from its engagement with the insulating bracket 34. Even with the clip Sll removed, the fastening bolt 42 tends to maintain its position in the insulating bracket 34 because of its squared shoulder and it is thereforc safe-guarded against loss. Likewise in assembling the parts, the fastening bolt 42 tends to remain in place while the end of the tension spring 33 and the clip is slipped over the top of the insulating bracket and into engagement over the flat head 52 of the fastening bolt.

The bracket 22 of this breaker point assembly is easily attached to the distributing plate by means of the fastening screw 21 which extends through a slot 58 substantially in line with the movable contact 29 of the breaker arm and the fixed contact 36, which permits adjustment of the bracket 22 around the fixed post 17 to adjust the breaker block 27 inwardly or outwardly in accordance with the movement of the eccentric 20 in the slot 59 which is substantially at right angles to the slot 58. Thus it is necessary only to place a breaker contact assembly bracket as 22 with all of the parts thereon by inserting the hollow post 23 over the post 17 to insert the eccentric slot 59 over the eccentric screw 20 and to insert the fastening screw 21 through slot 53 of the bracket and into engagement with the distributing plate 11, by adjusting the eccentric screw before the fastening screw 21 is tightened, the breaker block 31 may be accurately set in the path of a distributor cam which extends upwardly through the collar 12 to engage the breaker block.

With this construction, it is a simple matter to substitute one complete breaker point assembly for a defective one by simply disengaging the perforated conductor clips 43 and 49 by removing the nut 43 and removing the fastening screw 21. The entire breaker assembly is then lifted from the distributor plate and another breaker point assembly is applied in a reverse manner. The po' sitions of the breaker contacts are set and adjusted at the factory. Thus no adjustment is necessary by an inexperienced workman. Even the connection of the live and condenser conductors with the breaker point assembly is so safe-guarded by this clip assembly that the spring and bracket connections with the conductor clips are prevented from accidental disengagement and loss of the fastening bolt 42 by the engagement and contact of the U-shaped fastening clip 50).

While a preferred construction has been described in some detail, it should be regarded as an illustration or an example rather than as a limitation or restriction of the invention, since various changes in the construction, combination and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A breaker point assembly, comprising a bracket plate with an ear turned upwardly therefrom, a fixed contact mounted on the ear, an upright hollow pivoting post secured to the plate at a distance from the car, an insulating sleeve mounted upon the post, a movable breaker arm mounted on the sleeve and insulated thereby from the post, a contact at the end of the arm to engage the said fixed contact, an insulating member secured to the arm intermediate its end for engagement by a breaker cam, a leaf spring having one end interposed between the insulating member and the arm and the intermediate portion extending around the said insulating sleeve to the opposite side of the arm, an ear extending upwardly from the plate at said opposite side of the arm, an insulating bracket attached to the last named ear, the bracket plate having a recess and the insulating bracket having a projection to engage in the recess for additionally holding this bracket in fixed relation, means releasably securing the other end of said spring to the insulating bracket comprising an opening in the bracket and a recess in the end of the spring, a fastening unit and a headed bolt therefor inserted through the opening and the recess, a retaining clip with a front recess and a closed back inserted over the threaded shank of the bolt and with its back extending over the head of the bolt and straddling the bracket and the end of the spring for also engaging the outer end of the head and retaining the bolt in position through the bracket and the spring even though the nut is removed from the bolt, the back imperforate side of the clip having inwardly projecting flanges extending from the edges forwardly toward the edges of the recessed front of the clip to engage the insulated bracket at the sides of the head of the fastening bolt providing a space for seating the head in the clip at the inside thereof.

2. In a breaker point assembly, comprising a bracket plate with an ear turned upwardly therefrom, a fixed contact mounted on the ear, an upright hollow pivoting post secured to the plate at a distance from the car, an insulating sleeve mounted upon the post, a movable breaker arm mounted on the sleeve and insulated thereby from the post, a contact at the end of the arm to engage the said fixed contact, an insulating member secured to the arm intermediate its end for engagement by a breaker cam, a leaf spring having one end interposed between the insulating member and the arm and the intermediate portion extending around the said insulating sleeve to the opposite side of the arm, an ear extending upwardly from the plate at said opposite side of the arm, an insulating bracket attached to the last named ear, the bracket plate having a recess and the insulating bracket having a projection to engage in the recess for additionally holding this bracket in fixed relation, means releasably securing the other end of said spring to the insulating bracket comprising a fastening bolt with a relatively thin head and a sheet metal substantially U-shaped clip adapted to straddle the insulated bracket and the end of the spring in contact with the bracket, the clip having a fiat unbroken rear side with inwardly inclined edges to engage the rear side of the bracket and providing a space between the clip and the bracket at the rear of the bracket to receive the head of the fastening bolt therein, and the front side of the bracket having a recess extending upwardly from the lower edge at the center thereof through which the threaded end of the fastening bolt may project, and the front side of the clip having outwardly and forwardly inclined flanges at the edges thereof to form projecting edges between which perforated conductor fastening clips may be inserted upon the bolt, the flanges preventing the conductor clips from turning relative to the bolt and to the U-shape clip.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,703,611 Brown Feb. 26, 1929 2,233,124 Furnas Feb. 25, 1941 2,590,450 Parsons Mar. 25, 1952 2,713,186 Borowsky July 19, 1955 2,727,104 Filko Dec. 13, 1955 2,748,906 Flora June 5, 1956 2,816,968 Julian et a1 Dec. 17, 1957 

